Photo by ISIphotos.com
It is the day after one of the U.S. national team's most dramatic victories of the past decade and although a stiff test awaits on Wednesday in World No. 1 Spain, the Americans have earned the right to celebrate their great escape into the semifinals.
After all, two straight losses to Italy and Brazil had led to a mountain of criticism, some of it valid and some of it overboard, that made you wonder whether the Americans could realistically get up off the mat and play with the heart and fight and ability we have seen past U.S. teams show. The U.S. team did just that, winning a game it had to have, silencing critics and bolstering supporter's at the same time.
So when Michael Bradley dropped this gem after Sunday's 3-0 victory against Egypt, you could certainly understand where he was coming from:
"All the f—— experts in America, everybody who thinks they know about soccer, they can all look at the score tonight and let's see what they have to say now. Nobody has any respect for what we do, for what goes on on the inside, so let them all talk now."
Well said.
In case you missed it, here is my ESPN story recapping the Egypt win, including player ratings.
Are there still some critics who continue to find things to complain about, even after Sunday's dramatic victory and qualification for the semifinal? Of course, but most of the dissenting voices still questioning Bob Bradley as head coach are critics who were never fans of Bradley in the first place. While there have been moments in the past month that have left Bradley open for criticism, it is tough to argue against the notion that Bradley has helped a young and short-handed U.S. team come of age.
Yes, it is just one result, one win, but you could tell by the reaction of the U.S. players that it was much more than just a win. It was an affirmation of the work the team has done under Bradley, proof that the team's efforts are being rewarded.
Rather than looking for every excuse to not give the U.S. team credit for advancing to the semifinals of the Confederations Cup, shouldn't we be giving the team some credit for surviving a group tougher than any group the United States could possibly be drawn in for next summer's World Cup? Shouldn't we be singing Bob Bradley's praises for overcoming the absence of a handful of key veterans, such as Carlos Bocanegra, Brian Ching, Steve Cherundolo and Frankie Hejduk?
Consider how young the team was that defeated Egypt. Brad Guzan, Jonathan Spector, Michael Bradley, Charlie Davies, Jozy Altidore and Benny Feilhaber are all players who were age-eligible for the Olympics last summer and all six have gained priceless experience in this Confederations Cup, experience that now includes the thrill of delivering in a must-win game.
If Sunday's victory did anything, it helped restore some of the swagger the United States had lost after three losses in four matches. If you read Michael Bradley's statements you know that there is some attitude, some fire, some swagger, all things this team needs to keep playing like it did on Sunday. And if the Americans keep playing with that intensity, even the most die-hard critics will be forced to reconsider their views.
What did you think of Sunday's performance? Have you regained some lost faith in the U.S. national team? Are you still skeptical about the direction the team is heading? Where did Sunday's win rank on your favorite national team moments?
Share your thoughts below.
OK, aristotle, fair enough. You started that paragraph in your post with “All this game showed…” so I took your comments to be based on that game. I read your post again just now and I got it wrong. If what you meant is that you’re looking at several games and concluding that the U.S. is not good enough to get out the first round at the WC2010, that’s a valid opinion and I see where you’re coming from. I happen to disagree with your opinion, though. In the last, for example, 5 games, we’ve had 2 crappy efforts (Saprissa and Brazil), 1 mediocre game against Honduras in front of a hostile crowd which resulted in a win, and 2 good efforts against Italy and Egypt, though one went against us. I look at all of that as evidence that we possibly CAN make it out of our group with this team and this coach. We can just agree to disagree on this, and you’re back on my “logical” list 🙂
Wispy:
Now you’re just not telling the truth. I never said any such thing. You drew your own conclusion for some reason. This seems to be a common occurence on these boards. Someone makes a post after a game and it is automatically assumed that everything that they say is based on that one game. I have been saying the U.S. is not good enough, and won’t be under BB, for quite some time. It’s based on MANY games and a long period of time. I’m not sure why people feel the need to point out that it’s illogical or stupid to draw long term conclusions based on one game. You would think that everyone would realize that. Just like you would think that because someone makes comments after a game, it doesn’t mean that everything they say is based on that one event.
OK, aristotle, point taken. Teams do play the WC much differently (and more seriously) than the CC. And I do not think Italy will not advance out its group at the WC — in fact, I still count Italy among the teams to beat. What I thought was “illogical” was you looking at the results thus far in the CC and coming to the conclusion that the US is “nowhere near good enough to advance out of round one in the world cup” (your words). I certainly didn’t mean to offend you and didn’t mean to imply that you cannot use logic. I merely think you didn’t when you typed that sentence.
I’m sorry Michael, if you were any kind of sportsman you would have come out with a bit more intensity like you guys did knowing you needed a ton to make it through. This has nothing to do with the previous matches.
However, Egypt was without their best player (Zidan) and had to make 2 non-tactical subs due to injuries and were out of subs shortly after halftime.
It’s a great win sure, but not much BB did was a ‘wow amazing, he really is shaping this team well’ Even subbing in Deuce. The Egyptian centerback was being abused the entire second half due to injuries and a goal on him was more inevitability than a ‘shock’ or something to that effect.
Sorry, but the last 4 matches have been tactical nighmares for BB. Like real amateur hour and they have looked utterly unmotivated. (which certainly has to fall a bit on the Captains who need to do more to push their teammates)
His constantly refusal to award spots based on current form is a joke as well.
It may not sound like it, but I’m not in the ‘gotta fire BB no matter what’ camp, but I’m really not all that impressed with him and if he was fired, I wouldn’t be all that broken up. I think he is an excellent coach in MLS but he needs to be a bit more bold with his squad selections and stop clinging to the past.
Playing the young guys on Sunday was the only smart thing he has done and isn’t bold at all as the young guys all have better skills than the 30+ crowd. The leap in skill between the old guard and the new kids is really noticeable and gets even more so the more you see the youth international teams. It really is time for a major youth push on the USMNT for the most part.
Wispy:
Before you call me illogical, perhaps you should find out what logic is. Your statement about my statement being illogical is illogical!
I don’t want to sound like Spock here, but saying the results or performances in the Confederations Cup equate with what will happen in the World Cup is HIGHLY illogical.
Teams that are amongst the top 5 in the world will never opt to not play in a WC as they do in the CC. You will NOT see Italy eliminated in the first round of the WC as you did in this CC. To imply that the CC is anywhere near as important as the WC, or that the teams in it take it anywhere near as seriously as they do the WC, to quote you, is illogical.
@ aristotle — sorry to say, but your statement that the US cannot advance out of its group at the next WC is pretty illogical. They JUST DID advance out of a group that was undoubtedly tougher than any group they could be drawn into next year. And sure, they advanced with help from Lady Luck (and Brazil), but take away the questionable red card against Italy and we likely would have finished 1-1-1…maybe even 2-0-1. To me, all that is evidence that this team is EXACTLY good enough to advance out of its group next year.
Joe — what makes a coach “elite”? A winning history? A WC, continental, or some club title(s)? Those types of coaches are rare and not available right now. Lots of international squads have made a nice run at the WC without an “elite” coach because the coach they did have was right for the team at that time. I, for one, recognize that BB made some really questionable decisions at Saprissa and against Brazil. I also recognize that he is not an “elite” coach and that few, if any, other national teams would want him if he was available. But what does that have to do with anything? All that matters is whether he is the right coach for THIS TEAM. And given the support he obviously has from his players (and the fact that his team has made some obvious improvements since 2006 despite the retirements of players like Pops, McBride, and Reyna) I think that BB right now IS the right coach for this team. He’s not perfect, by any stretch — let’s just hope he builds on the success of getting out of a very tough group, has a nice Gold Cup (and players like Adu and Torres gain some confidence), and wins at Azteca. If these things happen, all the naysayers will probably quiet down.
joe b…right on…dont hold your breath waiting for answers though because there really is no disputing any of what you said
I was completely wrong on this game, but then I didn’t really see the game for what it was. An overconfident team thinking they were easily going to qualify, against a totally humiliated team that desperately needed to regain some respect.
After seeing the U.S. against Italy and Brazil, not to mention recent embarrassments in W.C. qualifying, (Performance more than results) Egypt must have thought this game was a lock. Even a lot of American fans gave the U.S. no chance.
All this game showed was that the U.S. which used to play with a lot more commitment and passion, can still respond and be a dangerous team after being humiliated, but that’s not enough, and doesn’t really change the overall situation much at all. Bradley still needs to go, and this team is going in the wrong direction. They are nowhere near good enough to advance out of round one in the world cup. Even though I’m sure they will have a much better draw and luck than they did in the last world cup. Michael Bradley’s comments were a little over the top in view of how this team has played.
If Bradley’s Michael and Bob are getting motivated by the justified criticisms of the USMNT subpar performances the last month plus or so — then good, me and other Bob critics want to see the team win as much as anyone else.
In general: I don’t get the expectations that Ives and others who support Bob set for our team — does the US team not deserve an elite coach? Do you all really believe Bob is an elite coach – that no one else could motivate the team like Bob does?’
Bradley seems a quality coach and a swell guy. But can someone please explain what makes him an elite coach?
One angle that I’d like Ives and the pro-Bob’s to address is: If Bob was a coaching free agent, right now, would any other national team in the world be interested in hiring him?
I don’t just think that any foreign coach would be better; and while I wanted Klinsmann at the time, I was happy we selected Bob as our second choice. All that being said: while we can’t quite buy elite players to play for us; we can buy such coaches and staff —
Whats the rationale for not doing so???????
Hey, Michael Bradley, GROW UP! You won one freakin’ game against Egypt; it doesn’t erase how awful the team was against Hondo, CR, and Brazil over the past few months. You are vindicated of nothing in my eyes.
That said, congrats. Good win; very happy for the team and for you.
This was truly a great performance, but I really hope he fact that BB needs to be fired doesnt get lost here. Sure, the US finally came through, bu as long as we have BB we will never be elite.
Saying that, this fiasco has to go up near the top of the list for the national team… My personal top is the 2002 WOrld Cup, but this is truly a great accomplishmetn
Posted by: Alex | June 22, 2009 at 09:30 AM
literally the 3rd post
and aatabak, to a degree i agree that he is not necessarily the best coach, i am simply saying that some of these critics seem to have the idea that the USA would become a top team all of a sudden. We have the talent, when combined with heart and good coaching to potentially make a run like in 2002, perhaps in to the semis. But to expect that we can re-create those performances on a regular basis, while a good goal, is ultimately rediculous when you can no longer recognize a good performance.
I’m not saying we should not aspire to or aim for becoming a world-class team. I’m simply saying we should not treat Bradley like he has top-level talent at his disposal.
I apologize if people took this as a comment to the majority of naysayers, this was meant to a much smaller portion of harsh critics
Seeing all the negativity on this board after making it through to the semifinals in unbelievable. After reading through the post throughout the day I now know why our team almost never has home field advantage here in the U.S. We make it through a tough group and I bet 70% of the post are negative. So what if we don’t have the world class players. It sure didn’t help Italy this time! We continue to make strides and beating Egypt was a huge victory for our boys. I’ll be pulling for them on Wednesday. I hate to say it but a lot of people on here probably won’t thinking that a loss “will help” the team. What a bunch of crap. Keep it up Team USA!!
US Fans should be extremely happy that the team gets another opportunity to compete against a legit WC contender. What more could you want? Sure you can wish Bradley had played so and so blah, blah, blah… The fact, the team (and players) won’t get any better playing the usual suspect we qualify against. It wasn’t so long ago that we’d never get the opportunity to even try to qualify for this kind of game.
I’m stoked they get another game against a super power. They can only benefit from it regardless of the outcome.
please. no one that i’ve read on this page has said that we would be an ‘elite’ team if we fired Bradley. several HAVE said that we could be much better with someone with better international/WC experience.
to become ‘elite’ we need a complete revamping of the entire US soccer set-up from youth to the full national team (file this under the ‘fire Gulati’ plan). under an ideal scenario i’d guess that would take a minimum of 10 years.
‘ignorant fools’? check the mirror.
*doesnt get the full potential out of the team* comment above ^
@Dave, Dont think BB lets us be the best team we can be, period. Doesnt have to do anything with being elite or not, BB gets the full potential out of the team.
The story references that Bradley succeeded by bringing youth into the roster and despite injuries. The other side is that the younger players would likely not have the opportunity to shine if Hejduk, et al had not been injured.
Bradley has shown remarkable resistance to any sort of experimentation. I am not saying the answer is Torres or Adu, but you would think AT SOME POINT these guys can be thrown in there and given a chance.
And it’s natural and admirable for M. Bradley to be fired up. If you saw thousands of comments calling for your father’s dismissal as coach you would want to hear the same from your son.
But bottom line is that after a promising start in several exhibitions in the Bradley era, the U.S. has been very inconsistent the last five games that actually counted. Losing against better opposition is not a coaching issue, but inconsistency certainly is.
These games are important as they will be the last meaningful matches against Top 10 opponents until WC2010. If they have a repeat of 2006, not only is it the coaches head, but more importantly it could be the loss of several sponsors for the MNT (who don’t need a reason to save a few $$$ right now). And the MNT’s success trickles down to the MLS, so it will be impacted as well.
So Bradley and crew should be fired up. Only problem is they don’t seem to be fired up often enough.
i love the ignorant fools who say we will never be an elite team under Bradley. Does anyone really think any coach could make this group of players elite? A top side internationally that is expected to make it to the quarters or semis in a WC. We just got through a tremendously difficult group, so please name a single coach who could turn this team into a “elite” team by 2010.
Note: i’m not saying we cant get out of our group or farther next year. I think this proves we could. But to say Bradley is the reason we are not a top international side is rediculous.
Bob is going to be the head coach for the 2010 World Cup period. So quite whining, man up, and get behind the team!
Go USA
I admit, I was one the people clamoring for Bob’s head. I guess I can eat my words now but I am stil not sure he is
throwing out his best team.
Rico Clark is killing me. I know he might cover a lot of ground but he loses a lot of balls and rarely demands the ball. His best move is the throw the shoulder one way and go the other way with the ball. If our center mids are not constantly demanding the ball what good are they.
Also, not sure we have a set agenda in the attacking end and a lot of the guys seem to be trying to do different things. Target FWD bump it back vs. through diagonal balls. Build up vs. service from our wide backs. Way too many long balls over the top in my opinion, which are lost and then the opposition keeps attacking us.
Maybe we just need more time with this group together.
Oh, Bornstein a fav of Bradley is mediocre at best. Problem is he still might be our best option at this point.
Just my thoughts. We need to stop getting f..in Red Cards too. Studs up tackles in front of the ref will get you tossed anywhere. Why do it??
“All the f—— experts in America, everybody who thinks they know about soccer, they can all look at the score tonight and let’s see what they have to say now. Nobody has any respect for what we do, for what goes on on the inside, so let them all talk now.”
Talk this $hit after the 2010 World Cup, and then , and only then, will I become a believer not a supporter. But who cares though, I am outside looking in.
They did play with heart against Italy. How can you not see that? They even went up a goal while down a man.
Do we really think Hiddink is going to leave Russia before the 2010 World Cup to come to the US? I think not, especially after their success at Euro 2008.
I think with some of you, it doesn’t matter what Bob Bradley does or how this team performs. If the team plays well, people will say that Bradley got lucky. If the team loses and plays poorly, it’s Bradley’s fault. Get off his back.
I think Mikey Bradley is great. But it is not clear to me that he should be an automatic starter once Jermaine Jones enters the picture.
Once Jermaine Jones enters the set-up, any reasonable manager immediately starts him.
Which brings me to a question: Do we play two central midfielders who cover a lot of ground, have great passion, but do not orchestrate the offense?
Imagine that a proper manager was in charge. For instance, Hiddink. He might consider exploring the following in 2010:
Altidore
Dempsey Torres Feilhaber Donovan
Jones
Bocanegra Demerit Onyewu Spector
Howard
With Dempsey sometimes pushed up under Altidore and a bit of assymetry in the midfield — Torres not being a proper winger the way Donovan is.
I hear a lot of flip-flopping going on. A few days ago most people questioned the state of the national team, and now after a single win we’re all back to being A-OK. I’m sorry, it was a good performance against Egypt, but that does not erase the numerous poor performances of recent times. Even the Egypt game was shaky in the last 20 minutes, all because the team fell back into a shell and defended deep. Egypt had its best opportunities after the third goal because they were allowed to have more possession. A fourth goal would have put the US in a comfortable position, but instead they ground out a 20-minute defensive performance that could have been useless if Italy (or Egypt for that matter) had scored a single goal.
Supsam:
google euro ’04 and tell all of us stupid people who won it.
for extra credit: tell all of us stupid people how many world class players were in the winning team’s squad.
oh, the irony.
Man I love that everyone is so passionate about the team, but like i always say..
LOVE YOUR TEAM, THROUGH thick and thin. Egypt is so much better than Ghana, and Czech republic would get killed by brazil, and italy is the same italy. Yet we made it out of this group, while we were in last place in the world cup.
We lost to costa rica just like we did in 2005, but we beat honduras, a similar team, and similar atmosphere like in 2001 at RFK, but we fought hard and got the win. There is nothing that shows that our team is becoming worse with Bradley. We have to remember we are not going to start beating teams like brazil and italy everyday (especially with 10 men), lets judge bradley after the world cup. THAT SIMPLe.
Until then WEar your Red, White or BLue jerseys, sing your songs, enjoy your games, and be the loudest SOB for your team, your country and your home. Don’t act like ROSSI.
One of the posters asked about distance covered stats per player.
1. M. Bradley; 2. C. Dempsey; 3. L. Donovan; 4. A. Pirlo
http://www.fifa.com/confederationscup/statistics/players/distanceandspeed.html
Ives hit the spot and ive shared that same view for a long time. For all those saying that the USA will never be a powerhouse with Bob Bradley as coach are just flat out stupid. I dont mean to be so critical but they are asking for it if they are that critical of bradley. Coaching can only get a team so far. Coaching is one thing, but having world class players is another thing. This is someting we greatly lack to become a so called “elite”
I have a 2 questions for those who support Bob Bradley and the work he’s doing:
1) What you find most appealing about the style of play of the US team?
2) Why do you think he’s capable of taking the team to the next level if, as he himself stated, he’s very set in his ways and “nothing changes”?
“you need to move torres off your winger list and put him on your central midfielder list…hes not a winger…does not have the speed nor the 1v1 beat a guy off the dribble and stick to the touchline mentality…he is however more talented than klejstan…and would provide balance to the jones/bradley/clark/edu type of midfielder that we love so much
Posted by: understood
____________________________________
understood,
I don’t understand the love for Torres based on 45 minutes of performance in one game. He has great ball control and keeps
things humming in midfield but he doesn’t seem very dangerous going forward and apparently he has defensive issues. Like Adu he doesn’t seem very strong. Feilhaber looked a bit like him when he was going good except Benny seems to have tightened his defense and is certainly much more of a threat to score. And Benny is certainly more substantial, offensively or defensively, than Adu. I think Benny, not Michael Bradley, is the one taking PT away from Torres and Adu.
Relax. You beat one half-decent side, and got extremely lucky in the Brazil/Italy game. All the experts saw you get thrashed 3-0 in Costa Rica, go down at home to Honduras, and look lifeless against Brazil. You’re an awesome young player, but in more than one decent game before you go running your mouth.
Bob Bradley,
You STILL can’t leave soon enough.
Posted by: Krysztof | June 22, 2009 at 10:06 AM
OK first, the USA beat Honduras and came back with a lot of heart to get a victory at a stadium where 4/5 of the fans were rooting for Honduras. Why don’t you shut your mouth and let Bradley do his job. Secondly, Bradley’s tactics against Egypt can’t be criticized. ‘nough said.
Yes, they played badly v. Brazil. Yes they could have beat Italy but misfortune and mistakes kept them down. But this is international soccer and the ball bounces in funny ways that can leave even a team like Italy looking bad at times and there’s no reason to become chicken little every time we have a short, and this was short, string of bad games.
We have a good team. We have a good coach. Are we the best? No. Are we as good as the 2002 team, I think so but I’d be willing to concede both sides of that argument. But the guys play well as a team and they, INCLUDING BOB BRADLEY, deserve our respect and most of all, our support. In the end, in this tournament, Bradley put together the team and the plan that got us past Italy in the group of death.
So well said Michael, and well said Ives. As for those still calling for his termination, sit back and relax and enjoy your team’s victories and have their backs in their set backs.
“Sorry Mike. One good performance in the last 5 games does not make daddy a world-beater, nor does it mean that the “experts” were wrong.
You should beat Egpyt any day of the week. This win was nothing special.
The lack of heart and determination your team showed against Brazil was disheartening. The early goals your team has given up the past couple of months is inexcusable. The lack of creativity in the middle of the park and the lack of goals from open play indicate poor cohesion and team understanding.
We can still talk all we want, Mike. And we are still right.
Posted by: Mike” |
_________________
Mike,
You can talk all you want but talk is cheap.
The last 5 games have included WC qualifiers and the Confederations Cup.
The last time I checked the USMNT were still on track to qualify rather handily for the WC. Does anyone really think they won’t?
The last time I checked the USMNT were still in the Confederations Cup and Italy and Egypt weren’t. If Egypt is so terrible how come they are African champs, and how did they beat Italy (and run Brazil pretty damm close)? Beating anyone 3-0 is pretty special. If you don’t think so, look up Tournament scores.
Clearly you don’t understand football tournaments are not figure skating. There are no points awarded for style. Yes, the USMNT is mediocre and has looked miserable lately but they are still in the tournaments they need to be in. Teams like Italy can bring in people like Rossi off the bench while Bradley looks at the bench and sees…………..Adu? The guy who can’t get anyone to give him a game for the last three years? Califf? The Elvis impersonator? A bunch of guys who mostly can’t get a game at their clubs? Give me a break.
I’m no Bradley fan but if you think you can find a better manager (Klinsman? HA! he didn’t want it the first time and now he has been exposed by his stint at Bayern) or you do it.
Here’s an example:
Look at Mexico’s reaction to their play against T&T in their last WC qualifier. Despite having won the game against an inferior opponent at the Azteca, most Mexicans, INCLUDING THE FA, COACH AND PLAYERS are very concerned and critical about their level of play. They demand quality of themselves and each other. Too often the US rests on it’s questionable laurels.
If we are going to do well in world tournaments that’s how we have to approach every game, always with an eye for improvement. Always with more quality.
I’ll say it again, Bradley provides none. He must go.
@Dan Roudebush
“Blaming BB for the players lack of technique or mistakes which should basically be improved/corrected at the club level is just a sign of major ignorance by most posters.”
I’ve been through most of the posts this week and I don’t think there was one poster in all the thousands of them saying what you claim they say. You’re providing a fantasy conclusion for a statement that has no truth. A REALLY ignorant argument there.
“Most posters” as you put them, are advocating a new coach for the team based on his OWN poor decision making and complete lack of leadership. I’m pretty sure that’s what I’ve been reading lately.
Spirited as the win over Egypt was, it does little to repair Bob Bradley’s chances in my eyes of being a successful international coach.
His teams do play hard, play for each other, and do seem to be motivated… but that is only a foundation. He still seems too indecisive tactically to lead a winning program. He’s also brainwashed by his MLS experience. Even players who play regularly in Europe are left on the bench or at home while he parades the likes of Conor Casey, Ricardo Clark, and Jonathan Bornstein on the biggest stages.
His selections have always been my major concern, regarding both who he calls in and who he decides to put on the pitch.
Hopefully he has finally woken up, but I’m not going to be the least bit surprised to see him re-insert Beasley into the starting 11 and make Sacha his #1 sub in the midfield for the next round.
I was having a discussion with a friend yesterday about the USA and he was as puzzled as me to the Torres situation. How does a guy go from being one of our bright spots in the first half against Costa Rica to falling back to, seemingly, the bottom of the pile? He thinks that it has something to do with Mikey Bradley and I’m inclined to agree. Perhaps Bradley does not like the way Gringo positions himself and has pulled strings to get him taken out of the lineup. Just a musing, but it could have a ring of truth.
One thing I will say that Bob has done right is his contiuing to play Jonathan Spector at RB. That spot is his as far as I’m concerned, even if Dolo returns. Does anyone else think Hejduk could provide service like that? I’d be surprised if anyone did.
EDB- on the boards, if you don’t score every game, you suck. Dempsey has given away a few bad balls, but I think he’s still solid.
Besides, the entire team hasn’t scored much in the last 5 games.
Give a bro a break.
Let’s see what effort we bring on Wednesday!
dennis mueller-
you need to move torres off your winger list and put him on your central midfielder list…hes not a winger…does not have the speed nor the 1v1 beat a guy off the dribble and stick to the touchline mentality…he is however more talented than klejstan…and would provide balance to the jones/bradley/clark/edu type of midfielder that we love so much
Playing and coaching poorly justifiably leads to criticism.
Doing so in several games means you get a LOT of criticism.
Yesterday’s game was excellent, and tons of fun to watch. It deserves praise. But one game doesn’t mean your critics were wrong. You do that by playing well in MULTIPLE games.
complain complain complain
Going forward, (not next week, but in the long haul) the US needs strikers who can deliver. There are no experienced 28 year-olds who fit that description. Altidore has potential, Davies showed he has heart, Eddie Johnson whatever happened to you? Adu still looks and plays like a little boy, when he gets older lookout if he finds the toughness. Remember the Olympics, the US did OK, but hardly set the goal afire even with McBride helping Altidore and Adu (who played MF).
Wide midfielders who play both ways are in short supply, Donavon and Dempsey both have good moments, but too often let the game get away from them. Torres looked to have good flashes, but to my mind has yet to mesh well with his teammates; in time he should. Beasley has looked dreadful for over 2 years, have the injuries over the years simply robbed him of his great quickness and speed? Another option would be great.
Center mids, probably the greatest depth: Bradley, Felihaber, Edu, Clark, Kljestan, all young and perhaps Jermaine Jones could add some maturity to the group.
Center backs: Gooch will be a fixture here for some time, Bocenegra is slow, so is Demerit and that has its shortcomings, I don’t see much alternative, maybe Gibbs will get healthy, I do not see much at that position in MLS, most of the prospects lack either speed or skill. Really in the next few years CB may be a glaring weakness (already we are one more injury from being in deep dodo).
Outside backs, Specter has started to show the kind of concentration needed to match his physical skills, Frankie is getting long of tooth (I’m not sure skill, or the best soccer sense were his strong suits, but for non-stop work, for never quitting, and for enthusiasm he will be hard to replace). Bornstein is a bit on the light side and sometimes loses concentration, but he has skill and could eventually prove to be a lot better than some think he is. Wynne is athletic, but he needs a better touch and a whole lot more soccer sense before he is ready. Pierce can fill the spot for a while, but he has shown some mental lapses you just can’t have from an experienced player.
Keeper: As Guzan just showed we have some depth there.
In the next couple games we will see just how far some of these guys have come and how much further they have to go. At the Gold Cup, we will get to see some of the even younger/newer prospects, but Haiti is not Brazil, so it may be hard to learn much until/if they meet Costa Rica and Mexico and then only if those squads are at near full strength.
Bob Bradley played a very young team, some of that is due to injuries, some of it is because the youngsters are better than some of the older guys. He is being faulted for not playing different, even younger players, give me a break!
Joder tios , hostia os digo que en su puta vida nos van a ganar entiendan pedazos de mierda
also to people prasing conor casey…what were you watching…if you have 360 please watch the last ten minutes of the game again…EVERYtime…and i mean EVERY LAST single time he touched the ball in the corner he either dribbled it out of bounds or was dispossesed…thats not doing a good job of holding it up…that was actually quite the opposite…it was horrible…he never won a corner…he never held the ball for a good 10 15 seconds…he lost possession EVERY SINGLE TIME…the one good thing he did was make the header clearance on the Egpyt corner…but that was absolutely it as far as positives go
its funny that the pom pom wavers and the team itself are criticizing all the “know-nothing critics” after one win…yet they obviously saw some of the same things we did…they finally benched beasley and klejstan which us “know-nothings” were begging him to do…
also you cant have your cake and eat it too…you want people to be passionate about the team and take soccer in america to the next level…you gotta take the good with the bad…theres gonna be criticism when the interest level rises and your performance stinks…
also…dempsey STILL has not performed well despite the one moment of brilliance and adu should be seeing the field if even just for 20-30 mins at the end of the game…and torres STILL deserves to see the field over clark/klejstan/mastro…
one last thing, sometimes the US benefits from our lack of respect worldwide…cause people who follow the team closely know that we dont do well against high pressure…when teams let us play in the midfield and try to spring the counter (which is Egypts natural style) we tend to look better as opposed to when faced against teams who either a) scout us well or b) play a high-pressure style regardless…for this reason we will probably have a decent showing against SPAIN since they dont chase the ball with high pressure…however, for our future development as a soccer nation we HAVE to play a more technical possesion oriented style (torres over clark)…maybe theyll realize it eventually and us “know-nothings” will finally know something
Ives,
Do you have a sound byte or video of this interview with Bradley??
Ives can be a huge fanboy and for some reasons does not call out BB like he should. They played a good game against a shorthanded Egypt (first in the last five, although we had injuries as well) , but BB made some foolish subs and tatical decisions once again. If you make enough of them you will come out looking golden on one of them (Law of Averages). BB has the tatical acumen of a bucket of paint.
You people are drinking the Harkes kool-aide about Demps. Did you watch the game at all.. he had a number or nice passes that resulted or should have resulted in goal scoring opps. He has the pass to bradley, the pass to donovan.. He did a number of nice things on the pitch in the game.
Also, maybe he was pitched in more as a tactic to force Egypt out wide and force the crosses where our defense is better in the air?
Lastly we are not a top 10 soccer country. We don’t have the talent, and give credit to Bob for not playing an Iraq turtle game hoping to counter on brazil.